The first floating wind farm in France is complete
The three Provence Grand Large wind floaters are now installed in southern France. The rapid development in the French market is good news for Norwegian supply chain companies.
The 25 MW floating offshore wind project is situated 40 kilometers west of Marseille and 17 kilometers off the coast of Port-Saint-Louis-du-Rhône, in water depths of around 100 meters. The offshore wind park is developed by EDF.
This is the world’s first project to employ a tension-leg floater developed by SBM Offshore in cooperation with IFP Energies Nouvelles. Provence Grand Large comprises three tension-leg floaters, each supporting an 8.4 MW wind turbine generator supplied by Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy.
-This milestone shows that France puts action behind their offshore wind ambitions. As such, our two nations have a lot in common, says Astrid Green, who is in charge of the French Market in Norwegian Offshore Wind.
The offshore wind park consists of three tension leg turbines. PHOTO: EDF Renewables
Many upcoming projects
According to 4C Offshore, France is targeting 18 GW by 2035 and 40 GW by 2050.
To date, 4.6 GW has been awarded, with 2 GW operational or under construction and ongoing tenders for 3.4 GW. As part of a Sector Deal from March 2022, the government announced further ambitions: Annual tender volumes will be increased from 1 to 2 GW from 2025, 18 GW operational by 2035, and 40 GW by 2050.
The government aims to establish an offshore wind map by the end of 2024, allowing allocation of 15.5 GW of new projects in the next 10 years.
Illustration by Add'Occ
Next upcoming project in France is South Brittany. 250 MW floating offshore wind tender AO5 (Call for tender nr 5). 10 bidders are interested, winner will be announced in the beginning of 2024.
There is also a 2 x 250 MW floating wind tender AO6 (Call for tender nr 6) in the Mediterranean Sea.
The time for the Norwegian supply chain to target this market is now
Tore Staalesen, Working Group Leader France in Norwegian Offshore Wind
First stop: Occitanie
In December, members of Norwegian Offshore Wind will visit the Occitanie region. This Visit NOW is organized together with in Innovation Norway, French-Norwegian Chamber of Commerce and our MOU-partner Wind'Occ.
-The Region Occitanie has strong ambitions in floating wind and will welcome 2 pilots farms, 2 x 30MW, by 2024-2025 currently built and assembled in the port of Port-La Nouvelle. Next to the French state, this territory is also mobilized in the spatial planning towards 2050 with a target of 7.5GW of floating wind in the French mediterranean sea, says Julien Ciglar from Wind´Occ.
During these days in Occitanie, companies from the Norway and France will meet to dicuss potential collaboration and exchange offshore wind experience.
-The time for the Norwegian supply chain to target this market is now, says Tore Staalesen, Working Group leader for the French Market in Norwegian Offshore Wind.